Improvement in bridge-tiles for fire-proof buildings



M. F. LYONS. Bridge-Tiles for Fire-Proof Buildings.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

MICHAEL F. LYONS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN BRIDGE-TILES FOR FIRE-PROOF BUILDINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,347, dated May 28,1878; application filed January 15, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL F. LYoNs, of

v New York city, county and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Bridge-Tiles, or masses of fire-proofmaterial adapted to extend across between iron floor-beams in fire-proofbuildings, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to improvements in bridge-tiles which are formed ofan earthy material, and have ridges on the sides and rabbets on thebottom, resting on the flanges of the supporting-beams, the series oftiles being united by a cement, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view. The remaining figures are sections on alarger scale. Fig-2 is a section taken parallel to the floorbeams. Fig.3 is a section at right angles thereto.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

I will designate the completedtile by the letters M m, in which Mrepresents the main hollow body of rectangular section, and m a seriesof longitudinal ridges along each side.

I construct a series of molds of proper dimensions, and having aremovable core extending through and formed with a slight taper, adaptedto be driven out endwise through the ends of the mold. The top of themold stands always open, and the material, when the mold is fullyfilled, is smoothed on top by the ordinary process of scraping orstriking with a straight-edged board or other device.

Referring to the figures, A B O l) constitute the exterior parts of themold, and E the removable core,the latter being fitted in holes in theend pieces B G, and thereby supported at the proper level. A is thebottom B (l, the end pieces, inclined inward, as shown, to impart acorresponding beveled form to the ends ofthe tile; and D D aredivision-pieces, which form the sides of the several tiles. The pieces Dare formed with longitudinal ridges, indicated by d, the object ofwhich, as also of the elevated pieces a on the bottom plate A, willpresently appear.

The material employed may be any earthy plaster which is capable ofhardening with sufficient rapidity and of forminga sufficientlystrongand reliable fire-proof tile.

I have used a composition composed ofione part shell-lime, two partscalcined plaster, (sulphate of lime,) and three parts coal-ashes, orcoal-cinder finely comminuted. To this I add a small quantity of alum ina very finelydiffused condition, the alum being introduced by beingdissolved in water. The proportion I prefer to employ is one part ofalum to one hundred parts of water. This material sets quickly. Asufficient quantity is mixed rapidly, and poured or shoveled into themolds through the open top. It is vigorously rammed during the fillingprocess, to insure that it will flow well in and fill the entire spacein the bottom under the core E. When the entire set of molds is filledand struck off, the whole is allowed to rest a brief period, to harden,and then the several cores E are started endwise by being struck withgentle blows by a heavy hammer, or by other means, so as not to crack ordisturb the soft, but rapidly-hardening, tile. When the hardening hasprogressed a little further, the cores are entirely removed, and themolds taken apart. The tiles are carefully stowed away and allowed tobecome still harder by exposure to the air, after which they may betransported to the places where they are required, and appliedsuccessively in position, each against the next, with a coating offreshly-applied mortar on the sides, so that when the side of one of mybridgetiles is applied against the side of the next and slightly rubbedtogether the fresh mortar introduced on the sides will mold itself tothe grooves in the sides of the bridge-tiles, and serve, not only by itsadhesive property, but also by forming ridges, which act like dowels, toengage in the grooves in thebridge-tiles, and lock them, so that anyvertical movement of one must be part'aken of by the adjacentbridge-tile.

The ridges (1 may be larger or smaller than here represented. The tilesmay be ordinarily set considerably nearer together than hererepresented. It will usually be practicable to apply just enough mortarto fill the grooves be tween the ridges d, and a little more, so that,on applying the bridge-tiles together and rubbing them slightly, eachridge (1 will come nearly in contact with a corresponding ridge on theadjacent bridge-tile. The spaces between the tiles may be increased byincreasing the amount of mortar whenever it is necessary to make thework come out right-that is to say, to enable the spaces between anygiven two floor-beams to be completely bridged over the whole lengthwhen a succession of these tiles are laid side by side. Without thecementing-mortar 1) there would be a little looseness. The cement fillsthe entire space, as indicated by p.

The elevated portions (1 on the bottom piece A produce correspondingcavities or rabbets m in the molded tiles. I can, by taking suificientcare, mold these rabbets to exactly correspond with the thickness andapproximately with the width of the supportin g-flange on the ironfloorbeams; but I do not esteem it necessary to take great care in thisparticular. It is sufficient that the rabbets m be made a little greaterthan the thickness of the supportingflange, so that the lower faces ofmy tiles come a little below the bottom of the floorbeams. Thesubsequent addition of mortar or hard-finish being applied a littlethicker across the bottom of each floor-beam, aflush surface is obtainedon the bottom of the mortar.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, G represents the body of an iron beam, and g thelower flange thereof. H represents the ordinary rough mortar. There maybe a further facing of hard-finish. (Not represented.) It will beunderstood that the coatings H and I are applied after the bridge-tilesare in place and the cementingmortar p, which is applied between them,has hardened.

My tiles, made vof the material described, are hard and strong, and theyare lighter than when formed of any ordinary mortar.

In case my tiles have to be shortened, as is sometimes the case atcertain points or over the whole of the work, the shortening maybe donewith little skill and with rough tools. Care must be taken to removesufficient material by a stone-cutters tools or by other means Thematerial designated is not essential to the success of my invention,though I esteem it preferable. In some cases clay may be used, and thebridge-tiles burned in a kiln, allow ance being made, as with all suchware, for the shrinkage in burning.

The mortar applied over the top of my bridge-tiles may be of the same ordifferent character from that which cements the sides of the tilestogether. Ordinarily a cheaper material may be employed on top. No harmresults if it is suficiently thin, and applied so liberally as to gushdown and fill much more space at the sides of the floor-beams than isrepresented; but it should not be applied in so thin a grout as to flowin and fill the whole interior of the tile. Such filling would increasethe weight without proportionately contributing to the strength.

I have described and illustrated the method of coring and molding myimproved tiles for the purpose of more fully setting forth my invention;but I do notmake any claim thereto.

I claim as my invention 1. The bridge tile described, formed of earthymaterial, with a hollow interior, and having ridges m on the sides andrabbets m on the bottom, adapted to serve as herein specified.

2. A series of tiles, M m m, united by mortarp, in combination with ironbeams G g and finishing H, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name in presence of twosubscribing wit-

